Apparatus for controlling railway switches



Nov. 12, 1929.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed Aug. 31, 1927 YbSourceof Flam i 13 a PmssaPe. 17 42 had} I TL:

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Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES E. SPEER, OFPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASS IGN OR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNALCOMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIAAPPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY SWITCHES Application filed August 31,1927. Serial 110,216,570.

My invention relates to apparatus for controlling railway switches, andparticularly to apparatus suitable for control of a switch from adistant point with a minimum number of line wires between such point andthe switch.

I will describe two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a diag 'ammatic view showing oneform of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is.

a diagrammatic View showing a modified form of apparatus also embodyingmy invention. I

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each view.

Referring first to characters 1 and 1 designate the rails of a stretchof railway track which is provided with a switch 2 of the usual and wellknown form. This switch is operated by a fluid pressure motor Mcomprising a cylinder? containing a reciprocable piston 4. Attached tothe piston t is a plunger 5 which is operatively connected with themovable points of the switch 2 through suitable mechanism which isindicated by the dotted line 5 The motor M is controlled by means of twovalves N and R. The valve N contains a valve stem 7 which is controlledby a normal magnet 8 having an armature 9 associated therewith. When themagnet 8 is energized the valve stem 7 is moved to the right soas toconnect a source of fluid pressure to the left-hand end of cylinder 3 bymeans of a pipe 10. lVhen the magnetS is de-energized, the valve stem 7occupies its left-hand position in which the left-hand end of cylinder 3is connected with atmosphere. In similar manner, the valve R contains avalve stem 7 controlled by a reverse magnet 8 having an armature 9associated therewith. When the reverse magnet 8 is energized the valvestem 7 is moved to its right-hand po sition, connecting the source offluid pressure to the right-hand end of cylinder 3 by means of pipe 11,and when ole-energized the valve, stem 7 occupies its left-hand positionin which the cylinder 3 is connected with at- Fig. 1, the referencemosphere. When the piston 4 is moved to the right-hand position bysupplying fluid pressure to the left-hand end of cylinder 3, the switch2 is moved to the normal position as shown in the drawing, and whenfluid pressure is supplied to the right-hand end of cylinder 3, thepiston t is moved to the left earrying the switch 2 to the reverseposition.

The normal magnet 8 and the reverse magnet 8 are controlled by amanually operable switch lever S. This lever may be located at a pointdistant from the switch and may, for example, be one of a plurality ofsuch levers located in an interlocking machine inan interlocking cabin.The switch lever S has the usual normal and reverse positions,corresponding to the normal and reverse positions of the switch, and asshown in the drawing the lever is in its normal position.

. The normal magnet 8 is provided with a circuit which may be tracedfrom the lower terminal of a suitable source of energy such as a batteryB, through contact 12 of a polechanger P, wire 13, asymmetric unit 14,contact G wire 15, normal magnet 8, wires 16 and 17, contact 18 ofpole-changer P and Wire 19 back to battery B. The reverse magnet 8 has acircuit which may be traced from the lower terminal of battery B,through contact 20 of pole changer P, wire 17, reverse magnet 8, wire21, contact C wire 22, asymmetric unit 23, wire 13, contact 12 of polechanger P, and wire 19 back to battery B.

The contactsC and C are operatively connected with the movable points ofthe switch 2, and are controlled in such mannor that contact U is openwhen the switch occupies its extreme reverse position but is closed atall other times, and contact O is open when the switch occupies itsextreme normal position but is closed at all other times. It will beclear from the foregoing that the circuits for magnets 8 and 8" are Iopened by the contacts G and C respectively when the switch occupies itsnormal and its reverse position respectively. I

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: As shown in the drawing,the lever S occupies its normal position, and both of the magnets 8 and8 are de-energized With the switch 2 in its normal position. If theoperator wishes to move the switch 2 to its reversing the switch 2 andmoving the contact O to its dotted line position to openthe circuit forthe reverse magnet 8. If, after the switch reaches its full reverseposition, an object should strike the switch so as to move it away fromits reverse position, the contact C would be closed to again completethe circuit for the reverse magnet 8 and thus to "supply fluid pressureto the motor M to restore the switch to its full reverse position. i Ifthe "operator Wishes to restore the switch to its normal position, hemoves the lever S to the full line position, thereby reversing theposition of pole changer P and completing the circuit for the normalmagnet 8 through the asymmetric unit 14 and 'co'nta'ct'C Assoon as thiscircuit 'is completed, fluid pressure is supplied to the left-hand endof cylinder 3 and piston 4 is moved to the right, carrying the switch toits normal position, and at the completion of this operatiomcontact G vopens the circuit for thenormal magnet. It will be clear that if theswitch -2 should then be inadvertently "ni'o'ved away from its "normalposition, contact C would be closed to complete the *ci'rciiit Tor thenormal 'niagnet 8 so as to "again supply fluid pressure to theleftli'and end 'of'c linde e and to restore the switch to its fullnormal position. I

, It will be clear that the asymmetric units 14 and 23 are so arrangedthat when the switch '2 occupies its full reverse position the circuitito'rth'e reverse magnet can not be completed, and in'lihe mannert-hatwhen the switch'occupie's its-full normal position the normal magnetcannot beenergized.

Each of the asymmetric units 14 and 23 may for eXample, be of the typedisclosed and claimed in anapplication for Letters Patentott-he United'States, Serial No. 1111, filed Jan. 7, 1925, b'y Lars OJGibndahl, forunidirectional current carrying devices, although I do "not wish to belimited to any specific type of unit.

'By'the use 'ofth'e asymmetric unitsls' and 23 in combination with thecontacts C and C the normal and reverse magnets of the switchv'alve's'ma'y be controlled from a distant point over asingle pair ofconductors, and by maintaining the magnets normallyde-energi'zed,'economy inthe use of air for operating the'switch'is-pos'sible, sinceair is supplied to th'e'switch operatingmotor only at times when an actual movement of the switch is desired.

Anotherarmngement of circuits and apparatus for controlling the magnetsof a switch operating motor is shown in Fig. 2. In this View the switchoperating motor M and the controlling valves therefor are similar tothose illustrated in Fig. l, but these elements are additionallycontrolled by a locking valve L. This valve comprises a valve stemhaving an armature 60 which is controlled by a locking magnet 59. Thevalve L controls the supply of fluid pressure to valves N and B, throughpipes '62 and 61 respectively, in such manner-that these valves aresupplied with pressure when magnet 59 is energized, but not when themagnet is deenergized.

The locking valve L also controls a switch 100 ring device 'c'lesignatedas a whole by the reference characterD. hen the magnet 59 isenergiz'ed,fiuid pressure is supplied to a cylinder 53 containing a piston 54connected by means of an operating rod 52 and a lever 51 with a lockingdetent which co-operates with an'opening 4-9 in the piston rod 5. \Vhenfluid pressure is supplied to the cylinder 53, the piston 54 is moved tothe left, and the locking detent 50 'is moved from the opening 49 tounlock the switch, but when the magnet 59 is (ls-energized so as toconnect the cylinder 53 with atmosphere, the piston '54 is moved to itsright-hand position by means of a spring 55 and detent 50 is pushed intothe opening 49 to lock the switch. In addition to controlling thelocking detent for the switch, thelever 51'a1so controls th'e'positionof three contacts 29, 4A and 46. lVhen the switch is locked by detent50, contact 29 is open and contacts 44 and 46 are closed, but when theswitch is unlocked, contact 29 'is closed and'contacts and 16 are open.The contact 29 is included in the circuit of each of the magnets 8 and 8so that neither of these magnets can be energized 'unless the contact 29is closed. The circuit fornormal magnet 8 may be'traced from line wire23, over wire 56, contact 24 of pole changer P, wire 25, asymmetric unit26, wire 27, normal magnet 8, wire 28, contacts 29, wire 30, contact 31ofpole changer P and wire 32 to line wire 23. This circuit can be closedonly when the'pole changer P occupies its normal position and lockingmagnet 59 is energized to close the contact 29. The circuit for reversemagnet 8 may be traced from wire 23, over wire 56, contact 57 of polechanger P, wire 30, contact 29, wires 28 and 33, reverse magnet 8asymmetric unit 34, wire '25, contact 24 'of pole changer P and wire 32back to line wire 23 This circuit may be closed only when the polechange P occupies its reverse position and locking magnet'59 isenergized to close the contact 29. The locking magnet 59 has twocircuits, one of which is controlled by contact C and the other of whichcontrolled by the contact C One circuit forlocking magnet 50may betraced from wire 23*, over wire 56, contact 57 of pole changer P, wire30, looking magnet 59, wire 38, normal contact C wire 39, asymmetricunit 40, wire 35, contact 24 of pole changer P and wire 32 to line wire23* This circuit may be closed only when the pole changer P occupies itsreverse position and the contact C is closed. Another circuit for thelooking magnet 59 may be traced from wire 23 over wire 56, contact 24 ofpole changer P, wire 35, asymmetric unit 36, wire 37, contact C wire 38,looking magnet 59, wire 30, contact 31 of pole changer P, and wire 32 toline wire 23"; this circuit may be closed only when the pole changer Poccupies its normal position and the contact G is closed.

For the purpose of indicating the position of the switch 2, a polechanger K operated by this switch cooperates with the contacts 44 and 46controlled by locking magnet 59 to operate a polarized indication relayJ. When the pole changer K occupies its normal position indicated byfull lines and contacts 44 and 46 are closed, the relay J is energizedin normal direction to closeits normal contact J When the pole changer Pis moved to its reverse position indicated by dotted lines and thecontacts 44 and 46 are closed, the relay J is energized in reversedirection to close its reverse contact J The operation of the apparatusshown in Fig. 2 is as follows: As shown in the drawing, the lever Soccupies its normal position and the switch 2 also occupies its. normalposition. The normal and the reverse magnets 8 and 8 and the lockingmagnet 59 are de-energized. If the operator wishes to move the switch toits reverse position, he moves the lever S to the dotted line position,thereby reversing the pole changer P and completing a circuit for thelocking magnet 59 over the contact C and through asymmetric unit 40.When the locking magnet 59 becomes energized, fluid pressure is suppliedto the cylinder 53 and the switch 2 is unlocked. At the same timecontact 29 is closed, completing a circuit for the reverse magnet 8 overthe contact 29 and asymmetric unit 34, so that fluid pressure is.supplied to the upper end of cylinder 3 through the pipe 11 and theswitch 2 is moved to the reverse position. When the switch reaches thereverse position, contact C opens, and the pole changer K reverses sothat indication relay J is energized in such a direction as to close itscontact J R when contacts 44 and 46 close. The locking magnet 59 isde-energized by the opening of contact C so that the supply of fiuidpressure to cylinder 53 is discontinued and this cylinder is connectedwith atmosphere so that the spring 55 moves the piston 54 to the rightand locks the switch by forcing the detent 50 into opening 49 in plunger5. When the operator wishes to return the switch to normal position hemoves the lever S to the normal position shown in full lines, therebymoving the pole changer P to its full line position and completing thecircuit for the lock magnet 59 through asymmetric unit 36 andcontact CFluid pressure is therefore supplied to thecylinder 53 and the switch 2is unlocked. At the same time, contact 29 is closed to complete thecircuit of the normal magnet 8 through asymmetric unit 26 and.

contact 29 so that fluid pressure is supplied through pipe 10 to thelower end of cylinder 3 and piston 4 is therefore moved upwardly to movethe switch to normal position and to again move the pole changer K toits normal position. Current is now supplied to the indication relay Kin such direction as to close the normal contact J N of this relay assoon asthe contacts 44 and 46 are closed by the de energization oflocking magnet 59 after the switch 2 has reached its full normalposition in which the contact G is open.

It will be clear from the foregoing that the normal and the reversemagnets are de-energized at all times except when an actual movementofthe switch is to be made, and that neither of these magnets can beenergized until the locking magnet is energized. It will also be clearthat the indication relay J can not be operated until the locking magnethas been de-energized, following a switch movement, and that a switchmovement can not occur until this locking magnet has been energized. Theapparatus which I provide not only renders it unnecessary to maintainone of the normal or reverse magnets energized, but it also rendersunnecessary the ing said switch to move to normal position and the otherfor causing it to move to reverse position, two asymmetric units, acircuit for one magnet including one of such units, and a circuit forthe other magnet including the other unit. v

' 2. In combination, a railway switch, a normal, a reverse and a lockmagnet for controlling said switch, a plurality of asymmetric units, acircuit for each of said magnets each including one of said units, meanscontrolled by said'lock magnet for locking the switch, and other meanscontrolled by said lock mag net for controlling the circuits of bothsaid normal and reverse magnets.

3. In combinatiomarailway switch, means for moving said switch toeithernormal or reverse position, means for locking said switch ineither position, means for indicating the position of said switch, andmeans controlled by said moving means and said locking means forcompleting the circuit for said indicating means when and only when theswitch moving means is'de-energized and the switch is locked.

4. In combination, a railway switch, a-pair of normally (lo-energizedmagnets for controlling said switch, a locking magnet for said switch,means for indicating the position of said switch,'other means controlledby said switch for controlling the energization of said locking magnet,means controlledbysaid locking magnet for controlling'the indicatingmeans, and other means controlled by said locking magnet for completingthecircuits for the switchcontrolling magnetswhe'n and only when saidlocking magnet is energized and said switch'is unlocked.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES E. SPEER.

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